Fan Sites
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: Given how much good the Samurai Rangers do, is it any wonder there are fan sites?  Of course...some are better than others!
1. Chapter 1

**Legal: **I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, events etc. Anything not covered by the above rights should be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating: **T – there may be some mild adult themes.

Mike and Kevin came into the Living Room of the Shiba House, taking a short break from training. Kevin was rubbing his right shoulder, while Mike had a satisfied smile on his face as he picked up a bottle of Evian and started drinking.

"What happened?" Mia asked as she saw the slightly disgruntled look on Kevin's face. Mike just gave him a little smirk as he patted him on the shoulder.

"He's just a sore loser." He replied. Jayden looked up a little curious from where he was sitting studying one of the ancient books.

"You beat him?" He asked. Mike feigned a little hurt as he heard him say that.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" He asked him.

"I agreed to do a little unarmed combat with Mike." Kevin muttered in response. All of a sudden the whole scene made a lot more sense. While Mike had let his sword technique and his symbol power training slide during his childhood, the one thing he kept up, and indeed excelled in was his unarmed combat training. He actually enjoyed it almost as much as his video games, and so he had trained in multiple styles with his father, making him an accomplished fighter in his own right in unarmed combat. Indeed, he had been able to show all of them more than a few things whenever they decided to work on their hand-to-hand technique. "I feel like a walking bruise."

"Now you know how I feel when you have your way with the bokken." Mike teased him. "He's a sucker for the Fujiwara."

"You almost ripped my arm out the socket." Kevin complained.

"Oh poor baby." He answered with a fake little pout. "Do I complain when you beat me?"

He made his way over to the corner, where Emily was on the computer. He figured she was working on her on-line courses. Coming up behind her, he started stroking her shoulders, raising a little smile from her.

"It's alright, you'll get him next time." She told him. Mike just frowned.

"Why does everyone automatically assume I lost?" He asked her.

She turned a little, seeing where Mia was checking Kevin out, giving him a little sympathy to soothe the bruises to his ego as much as the bruises to his body. She knew he didn't mean to be disrespectful, but he seemed to take it personally that he lost to Mike. She smiled at her boyfriend.

"You weren't training with swords were you?" She asked him. Mike smiled and nodded.

"He tapped like a little girl." He said proudly. Just then, he took a glance at the screen. "So, what are you working on?"

"Oh, I finished my English essay a little while ago." She told him. "I was just messing around a little while I took a break."

"So what are you looking at?" He asked as he she scooted over, letting him pull up a chair. He looked at the page a little curiously. "You googled us?"

"Yeah, I had heard there were fan sites out there, so I thought I'd take a look." She told him. "Some of them are pretty interesting."

"Not too interesting I hope." Jayden chipped in as he came over, standing over her shoulder. "How much do they know?"

"No, it's nothing like that, they don't reveal our identities or anything like that." She assured him. "At least...I doubt if they do, I've yet to find a site that shows us unmorphed."

"Besides, do remember that just this week we took part in a massive sword fight in the middle of a crowded park unmorphed." Mike reminded him. "It isn't like we've exactly been complete innocents when it comes to keeping our secrets."

Jayden had to concede the point really. Only moments before that battle, he had used his Samuraizer in front of a kid to conjure up paper to make a paper aeroplane. They were all meant to do what they could to keep their identities secret, but the fact was most of them had at some time or another done something that risked exposing them.

"Most of them are just appreciation sites." Emily told him, clicking on one. "Like this one, Samurai Ranger Fanzone."

Jayden and Mike watched as the site booted up. It was a flashy site, with a spectacular picture of all five of the Rangers in combat poses, interspersed with explosions. Several video clips of some of their battles were available, and a loud, raucous heavy rock tune blasted out.

"Look, they have blogs, polls..."

"I'm rated fifth?" Kevin piped up as he saw the result of the latest popularity poll. "I can't believe I'm the least popular Ranger. I'm FIFTH?"

"Apparently you lost a lot of support the week you fought Jayden." Emily said a little sympathetically.

"But I couldn't help that!" He complained.

"Look, it doesn't matter. We don't do this for popularity or praise, and we all know the truth." Jayden assured him. "You're a great Samurai..."

"That's easy for you to say, you're number one!" Kevin pointed out. Jayden shoved his way forward, seeing that he was right.

"I got over fifteen million votes!" He said with a huge grin. Mia just groaned.

"I thought this wasn't about praise or popularity." Mike teased him.

"There are a few other sites." Emily told them, going back to the google search. "Some of them are a little funny."

The next site was called DancingRangers .Com, and did exactly what it said on the tin so to speak. Caricatures of all five Rangers were on the screen with tiny bodies, and unrealistically large heads making them look a little like Ranger babies. When the mouse pointer was dragged over them, they started to dance. Mike started laughing as Emily made the Jayden caricature start doing a break dancing spinaroonie on the floor.

"Hey, I never knew you had moves like that." Mike commented. Jayden also seemed to find it amusing. "So, what else is there?"

"Well, there's a site made by a girl in Harbour Village who makes and sells Samurai Ranger plushies."

"We have merchandise?" Mike asked. "Jayden, are you sure we can't reveal our identities? Surely there's an opportunity for royalties checks in there somewhere."

Emily showed them the site she was talking about. It had pictures of hand-knitted plushies of each of the rangers. Looking at them, they had to admit that they were really pretty good.

"They go for twenty dollars apiece." She told them. "I couldn't afford one each, but..."

She found herself blushing a little as she leaned in towards Mike.

"I ordered myself a Green one." She told him.

"So you can cuddle up to me at night?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow a little. "How do you order them?"

"Hey, there's a site on here that has t-shirts." Kevin stated, pointing out another one. "And this one..."

"Come on guys, maybe we should be getting back to something more productive." Mia suggested. "I mean, it's flattering that people think so much of us and all..."

"Whoa." Mike said as he opened up another page. "Um...I'll say they do."

"That's...that's...that's not funny!" Emily shrieked. "Someone photo-shopped my helmet onto some bikini model!"

"Well I'm not too bothered." Mike sniggered. "I look pretty good in a speedo."

"Mike, that isn't your body!" Emily reminded him. He just shrugged, seeing the funny side in it.

"Alright, so people like us, that's all great." Mia groaned. "Can we please just..."

"Hey, check out that one." Jayden interrupted her, pointing one out. "I think you'll want to see this one Mia."

"Jayden, I'm really not interested." She told him. As the site opened though, the others all fell silent. "See, I'll bet it's not even that good..."

"Well it depends on your point of view." Mike announced as he started to burst out laughing. Jayden and Kevin seemed to be struggling, and Emily buried her face in her hands to hide the fact that she too was laughing. "Personally I think it's pretty great!"

"What's so funny?" She groaned. "Is it another dancing ranger type thing?"

"I think you might want to take a look at this." Jayden told her. Mia just rolled her eyes and came over, only to find herself stunned by what she saw. Her mouth hung open in disbelief at the site, and she could see why the others were laughing.

"Congratulations Mia." Mike told her. "You've got a Facebook page."

Mia shoved Mike out of his chair and sat down, looking more closely at the page. It had a pink skin, and the central picture was a photograph of the Pink Ranger, surrounded by a misty pink border, making it look something like a dream state. The site was named Pink Ranger Love.

"It gets better." Mike told her, clicking on a song link. It started to play sickly, sappy love songs.

"Well, it definitely looks like someone's popular." Kevin told her, putting an arm around her.

"Did you do this?" She asked him, shrinking into him a little in embarrassment as Mike scrolled through some of the other features on the site, including messages from the site's author professing his love for the Pink Ranger. Kevin just shook his head.

"I guess I can't blame anyone else for thinking you're great." He told her. "You have to admit, it is pretty funny."

"I have a feeling it's about to get even funnier." Mike told her. He opened a section on the page entitled poetry. Mia and the others started reading.

"As I lay there on the ground, the monsters closing in,  
>I prepare for the end, a fight I cannot win,<br>My angel came down, with the strength of love,  
>Destroying my enemies like a flying pink boxing glove..."<p>

"Alright, is this guy serious?" Kevin sniggered. "This is awful!"

Mia continued to read.

"I know I'm safe as she wraps me in her arms and now it seems,  
>Her strength gives me the power to follow dreams,<br>To find her again where the monsters give me a sign,  
>And then one day to make her mine."<p>

By now, Emily could take no more, and ran off, tears of laughter streaming down her face. Mike just rolled around on the floor, cradling his aching sides as Jayden and Kevin just walked away, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"Tell you what, when you've finished with your new admirer, how about we go for a run or something?" Kevin stated as they walked away. "I have a feeling I'm going to need fresh air after that."

Mia just continued to stare at the page, finding herself totally embarrassed by the whole thing. Mike finally managed to drag himself onto his feet, and patted her on the shoulder.

"Well, at least if things don't work out with Kevin, you know you have other options." He teased her.

"Mike..."

"Who knows, maybe this guy is your Prince Charming?" He suggested.

"Mike please." She protested, feeling her embarrassment becoming worse. All her firends had now seen what was on the net about her, and they were all laughing at her about it. She didn't ask for this, but she just knew that now she would never hear the end of it. Mike just shook his head.

"Come on, this is way too good to pass up." He told her. "I'll see you around. I promised Emily we'd go for ice-cream if she finished her English essay today."

With that, he walked away, finally leaving Mia alone. She didn't know what to do about this. In a way it was kind of flattering that someone dedicated so much of their time and effort to setting this up in her honour, even if it was somewhat embarrassing, and the poetry was terrible, and the music was terrible...not to mention it was a little odd to think that someone would have a crush on her despite never having seen her face...She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts. She knew that people had written to the site provider before to complain if someone was taking their name or image without their consent, but then that would mean she would have to prove she was the Pink Ranger, and reveal her identity.

She reasoned that she could perhaps send the site owner a private message from the Pink Ranger, explaining that she was flattered for the attention, but that she was uncomfortable with the nature of the content of the site, but that could have a similar problem. She would have to prove she was The Pink Ranger, otherwise the message would simply be ignored, or worse, if he did believe it, then it might just encourage the admirer.

She scrolled through more of the site, seeing numerous pictures of her in action, some of which had been altered in some way, from being surrounded by love hearts, to one that had been overlaid over a giant Kanji symbol for love, in pink of course.

"Oh, great." She muttered as she finally found a picture that made the whole thing make a lot more sense. It was taken from the battle where she had saved that kid, and it showed him laying in her arms. It bore the message, "The Pink Ranger and me."

"Well, I guess now I know who's responsible for this." She commented. "Now all I have to do is figure out what to do about it."


	2. Flamers and Other Pitfalls of Fansites

Bulk came into the club house he had set up with Spike for their training, finding him once again on his I-phone with a slightly goofy look on his face. His nephew usually frustrated him a little with the fact he was all over the place, but the last few days, ever since they had actually run into the Samurai Rangers, he had been even worse. He was forever on that damned thing.

"Spike, I told you to clear the floor and begin to get ready for training." Bulk snapped at him. Spike just waved him off.

"I'll do it in a minute." He said slightly dreamily. Bulk just sighed and came over, ripping the I-phone out of his nephew's hands. "Hey!"

"Really Spike?" He asked in disbelief, seeing the Facebook page on display. It was a monstrous pink affair, filled with pictures of the current Pink Samurai Ranger. "This is what you've been doing? Oogling pictures of the Pink Ranger?"

"Not just looking at pictures." He told him. "Bulk took a closer look at the site, and saw that one of the main pictures was one that had been photo shopped, splicing together an image of Spike and the Pink Ranger to be sitting together on a boat, entering a Tunnel of Love. He just scrunched up his face in disgust.

"Spike...you met her once, and that was for like 30 seconds!" Bulk reprimanded him. "You've never seen her face...in fact...how do you know it's even a she? Under that helmet, it could be a dude!"

"She's all woman." Spike replied dreamily. "She's wonderful. She deserves someone to cherish her and show the world how wonderful she is."

"Really." Bulk snapped, looking through the site. He couldn't believe how much work Spike must have put into it. He had uploaded songs; created artwork...he had even written poetry...albeit not very good poetry. Bulk looked back to him. "Look, I get it. She saved you, and now you're grateful. But this is...well...it's a little sad."

"It is not." Spike protested, making a half-hearted attempt to get his phone back, only to have his uncle snatch it away again. "She's amazing. She'll find it and she'll see how much I care, and she'll..."

"You really don't think this is pathetic?" He asked his nephew. "Let's check some of the comments then shall we?"

He started to scroll down the comments section.

"You are a dork. You are the only thing lamer on the planet than your poetry. You are such a loser; you couldn't get a date if you were the only dork on the planet."

"Those guys are just..."

"Your poems and your site are so lame, you are clearly a waste of the limited oxygen left on the planet, please die." Bulk continued onto some of the harsher statements, before showing him one of the worst. "Please tell me this person is incapable of reproducing so that the gene pool will be spared!"

Spike just sulked as he heard his uncle read all those comments. He knew that he had received such remarks. It wasn't as if he hadn't read every single request to eat his own waste and die or every recommendation that he neuter himself to spare the world his offspring.

Bulk looked a little sympathetic and breathed a little sigh. He felt a little badly about seeing the mood he was in. He didn't want the kid to feel bad; he just knew that he was setting himself up for this. Internet flamers were a cruel and mean-spirited breed. He had been young once, and had used the internet to access a few fan sites, and so he knew that there were those who would deliberately log onto such sites with the sole intention of saying things purely intended to hurt or insult the writer of such comments. He had been subjected to it himself, and knew that people were very barbed, and incredibly brave about how nasty they were to others when separated by a computer. As much as he had no respect for internet flamers because of their cowardly bullying, he knew how hurtful it could be.

"Look, I understand that crushes can be pretty intense, especially at your age." Bulk told him. "I watched what it did to your dad when he was your age, and you know, it's not like I'm old enough that I don't remember what it was like when I started having..._those_ urges."

"But you said..."

"I just don't want you to set yourself up with unrealistic expectations about life." Bulk told him sagely. "You know...it's clear you've put a lot of effort into this, I'm sure that if the Pink Ranger did see it, then she would be grateful that someone thinks so much of her."

"You said she thought she was a dude." Spike reminded him. Bulk just laughed.

"You do remember who your dad ended up marrying right?" Bulk stated. "Your stepmom's suit had a skirt, and so does this Pink Ranger's. I think that's a pretty good sign she's probably a girl."

Spike just took the phone back, shutting down the internet function and smiled.

"Tell you what, how about instead of training in a stuffy old clubhouse all day, we go to the park?" Bulk asked his nephew. "It's a nice day, and we can take the training stuff with us."

"Can we go to the bakery afterwards?" Spike asked him. "Maybe pick up some cupcakes?"

"I guess I was a little harder on you than I meant to be." Bulk conceded. "Alright."

"Great!" Spike screeched, leaping off his chair. "Come on Uncle Bulk, let's pack! I wanna train!"

Over at the Shiba House, Mia was taking a break from training, and had gone to the computer. She was still embarrassed about the attention she was getting as a result of Spike's Facebook dedicated to her. His sickly declarations of love were more than a little distracting when she was trying to train, taking up a lot of her thoughts. Mike wasn't helping matters either. He had been keeping a close track of the site, and constantly teased her about it. He had already read many of Spike's terrible poems aloud, and he had even once surprised her by leaving one of the photo-shopped pictures on her pillow for her to find when she went to bed.

Emily came in, placing a Shinai up against the corner as she came over. She sighed as she saw Mia at the computer again.

"More updates from loverboy?" She asked her. Mia just nodded. "I'm really sorry about Mike, I've tried asking him to stop, but you know what he's like."

"It's alright; I know he's only teasing me." Mia assured her. "The thing is, I'm actually becoming a little worried about this kid."

"Worried about him?" Emily asked her. "I mean, with the exception of having no future as a poet, what's the problem?"

"You haven't read the comments section, have you?" Mia asked her. Emily just shook her head. Mia moved over and offered Emily a seat, allowing her access to see it.

"That's pretty mean." Emily responded. "You're a loser. This guy's clearly never had a girlfriend..."

She paused as she scrolled down, and her eyes shot open wide in amazement.

"Please die?" She shrieked. "Go..."

She couldn't even bring herself to repeat some of the things that were being said. She turned to Mia, looking upset.

"That's awful!" She shrieked. "I mean, I know the site's not to everyone's taste, but why do they have to say such awful things? Surely if they don't like it they can simply ignore it."

"You should know better than any of us Em, sometimes people are just mean." Mia reminded her. "They like to make themselves feel big by..."

"Making people cry, yeah I get it." Emily sighed. "At least I got to get away from them when I went home from school at the end of the day. Poor kid."

"I recognise him from one of our battles." Mia told her, showing her an image. "I saved him from a Nighlock. I think he got a crush on me..."

"I met that kid!" Emily shrieked. Mia just looked at her a little surprised. "Well...I say I met him, I nearly bumped into him."

"There's a surprise." Mia responded, rolling her eyes. Emily just looked a little grumpy at this joke about her clumsiness. "Sorry, of course. You met him?"

"Yeah, I remember him, because he was with some older guy, really big built, bald, dressed a bit like one of those kids that listen to the really loud music..."

"Wait, big heavy bald guy? That's what the guy who took the kid away looked like. The kid said it was his uncle." Mia continued, seeming to confirm that it was the same guy.

"I thought it was a bit odd that someone his age would dress like that." Emily commented with a shrug. "That's the only reason I remember him."

"Emily, where did you meet him?" Mia asked her. Emily thought about it for a moment.

"It was at the bakery." She answered. "It was the day we rescued all those brides from Dayu."

"Thanks Emily." Mia replied, heading to her room to get changed.

"Mia, where are you going?" Emily asked her.

"It's a long shot, but if they went to the bakery, maybe they stay nearby." Mia told her. "I just want to see if I can find him.

"And do what exactly?" Emily called after her as Mia ran off. "Mia!"

Over in the park, Spike and Bulk had just finished a long run to warm up, and started to get their training equipment ready. Bulk was stretching out as Spike started swinging around a home-made Shinai in a few wild practice swings. A little way off, a few kids assembled to watch them.

"What are they doing?" One of the kids asked as they watched them, taking a seat on a nearby bench.

"Are you kidding? Ever since the Samurai Rangers started showing up, kids have been trying to copy them everywhere." Another laughed. "Just two weeks ago my little brother ended up in hospital when one of his friends split his head open with a ruler in the playground."

"Well these guys don't look like they're kids." The third responded as he watched them curiously, his smile crossing his face. "They do look like losers though. I mean...is that kid using a sword made from garden canes and tennis balls?"

"I think it's safe to say the fat one doesn't look like a professional Martial Arts instructor." The first answered as they all laughed at the expense of the three. "Wait, the kid...does he look familiar to either of you?"

"Maybe we knew him in school?" The second suggested.

"No, I feel like I've seen him recently." The third agreed, before a look of realisation crossed his face, and his eyes shot open. "I've got it!"

He pulled out his I-phone and pulled up his internet connection, scrolling through his history. Eventually he found Spike's Facebook page, and found one of the pictures showing him and the Pink Ranger together.

"That's him!" The second kid laughed as they all took great amusement. Spike and Bulk appeared to be completely oblivious to the fact they were a side-show for a couple of kids only a few feet away. "Oh my God, this kid's a loser!"

"You couldn't tell already?" The first chuckled, pulling out his cell phone and starting to film Spike and Bulk as they started to attack each other with their makeshift swords in a chaotic display of amateur swordsmanship. "This clip is so going on Youtube!"

"No, we should do a video response to his Facebook!" The second added. "Let's show the whole world what a loser he is on his own web page!"

"It is not nice to mock people behind their backs." A voice behind them announced. A hand reached between them, snatching the I-phone. They all turned to see a mysterious, dark-haired man in a white robe standing behind them.

"Hey, that's my phone freakshow!" The kid protested, but Dekker just grabbed his hand and twisted his wrist painfully, causing the kid to slide off the bench to his knees. The other two got up, but Dekker cinched in the hold harder, causing the kid to squeal a little.

"I wouldn't recommend it." He warned them. "Move and I'll snap your friends' wrist."

His attention was drawn to the image on the phone, showing the Pink Ranger, but he saw that she was with a kid. Looking over to the pair they were mocking, realising that the kid was one of them.

"In future, do not mock those if you are not brave enough to do so to their face." Dekker warned them, shoving the kid to the ground, before tossing his I-phone back to him. "Those that do so are the true cowards."

The three kids got up and scrambled away, leaving Dekker with a thought. This kid knew the Rangers; he had seen the picture with his own eyes. Watching the two practicing, he started to make his way over.

As he approached, Bulk caught Spike across the left arm with a painful blow, causing him to yelp in pain. He looked over to him as Bulk just shrugged.

"Come on Spike, I barely touched you." He reminded him. "If we run into any more monsters, do you think they'll go easy on you?"

"You over-reached on your last swing." Dekker told him as he arrived. "You put yourself off-balance and left your shoulder exposed. That's why you got hit."

"Yeah, that's...uh...what he said." Bulk responded, pointing to Dekker.

"Your form could use some work." Dekker told him with a little smile. "Still, I appreciate your spirit, and you show heart. Those are the two most important things in a warrior."

"Yeah...uh...just like I keep telling you." Bulk added.

"When?" Spike asked. Bulk just turned to Dekker.

"Who are you anyway?" He asked, before looking him up and down, before getting an idea. "You dress weird...are you like a Martial Arts teacher or something?"

"Something like that." Dekker answered. "I could teach you a few things if you want."

"Thanks, but..."

"Uncle Bulk, maybe we should think about this." Spike interrupted him. Bulk just sighed.

"Do you have a school or something?" Bulk asked him.

"A school is simply somewhere you learn, and you can learn anywhere." Dekker answered, taking a Shinai from their training equipment. "Shall we begin?"

"This isn't going to cost us anything is it?" Bulk asked. Dekker just smiled.

"Trust me, this will be my pleasure." He answered, preparing a guard.


	3. Dekker's New Students

Mia didn't really know what she expected to find, much like herself and her friends, it was possible that the Facebook kid had only been in the bakery by chance, and that he had no connection to it whatsoever. Indeed, so far all she could assume with any degree of plausibility was the kid lived somewhere in the city. Both she and Emily had run into him a couple of weeks apart, meaning it was likely he lived there. Of course, while the city wasn't as large as say Los Angeles, it was still large enough that looking for a single person without any kind of reasonable starting point was all but hopeless.

As she got closer, she was starting to realise another thing that made this plan somewhat questionable in its success. She couldn't remember EXACTLY where the bakery was! She and her friends had happened upon it while they were walking home from a battle, and they weren't really paying attention to where exactly they were. The fact was compounded by the fact that she was now finding that this particular area of town had no shortage of bakeries. Thinking about it, she realised it made sense. The reason so many weddings took place in that part of town was because there were many beauty spots. The cliffs, the park, the temple...all of them were popular choices, so it was only natural that many associated businesses, florists, tailors, bakeries etc. would all gravitate to that part of town.

The quest was beginning to look hopeless, when she caught sight of something that she recognised. It was a tree on the edge of the sidewalk that had grown into an unusual shape. Because of the way the sunlight shone between a couple of buildings that covered a large part of it in shade, it had twisted and stretched in a very distinctive way, stretching almost halfway across the first lane of the road. She remembered Mike pointing it out because of its unusual shape, saying something about the adaptability of plants and how they could grow even if...well, it was kind of his usual boast that he came out with whenever the subject of his different training style came up. She knew they had passed that tree, she was sure of it, and they had passed it...while they were eating cupcakes! She re-doubled her efforts to the search. She was sure the bakery was nearby.

Meanwhile, Bulk and Spike made their way to the bakery, accompanied by their mysterious new teacher. Both of them had ended up with bruises all over as a result of Dekker's training, and now they were exhausted, sore, and just looking to get something to eat and go home.

Dekker smiled a little as he saw Bulk holding his Nephew in a comforting way as they headed for the bakery. It reminded him of his own training, long ago, likely long before this city was even built. Like many, he had been trained his father, the traditions of the sword being handed down from father to son.

His father had truly been a brute, even before Dekker's training had begun. He had already had the son he wanted to hand everything to, his heir, and even though he had others that were treated at best with grudging acknowledgement and left to their own devices, and at worst with neglect and the cruelty of the constant reminder that they were nothing more than vassals to serve their brother. Dekker in particular had been a source of shame for his father.

When his training did begin, it was a brutal affair. His father did not believe in touch contact, reminding him that no enemy he faced would be satisfied with earning a training point. For almost seven years his training consisted almost entirely of learning, not through explanation or words, but by being battered and beaten mercilessly until he figured out how to fight, improving daily by simply increasing how long it took his father and his elder brothers to beat him into submission.

It hadn't taken Dekker long to realise that Bulk and Spike were not warriors. Bulk, the one who proclaimed himself the sensei, occasionally said something that sounded right about the Samurai, though he suspected that was as a result of reading a book, or using one of the many modern devices that baffled him. He appeared to have no real practical knowledge of the Samurai, or of the sword. He had taken it easy on them in a way, not simply beating them to within an inch of their lives within seconds as he could easily do, and as his father had done upon his first lesson. However, he had indeed inflicted a few injuries, and he suspected, taught them a little something of their limitations.

"So, are you coming in?" Bulk asked him. Dekker looked to the bakery a little confused. During his youth, his family had been nobles, and so they were no strangers to some of the finer things. They had baked goods, but nothing like this. He recognised barely any of them. The glazes and icing, the varied croissants, buns and donuts...it was alien to him.

"I should be going..."

"Come on, you won't let us pay you." Spike stated. "The least we can do is buy you a bag of donut holes."

Dekker didn't know what to say. He had spent the better part of the afternoon beating them harshly, and yet they were offering to feed him. They were actually grateful.

"Yeah, we haven't had a workout like that since...well...ever!" Bulk said cheerfully. "Now, what would you like? I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Dekker smiled again. They may know nothing of the sword, but he saw something in them, the young one especially. They both had a lot of heart, and a lot of spirit. Rather than being discouraged by defeat, they were taking from the experience the fact that they had learned. As he was about to answer, he saw Mia rounding the corner.

The Pink Ranger rounded the corner, looking around in time to see the kid she was looking for and his uncle. It seemed like she had been fortunate enough that they had indeed returned to the bakery, but she saw something else that troubled her. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw Dekker with them. More than that, they seemed to be talking with them, like he knew them. Their eyes met, and she knew he had seen her. He just turned to Bulk.

"That would be appreciated." Dekker told him. "I will trust your judgement as to what you believe I would like. I have not had the privilege of sampling these wares."

Mia started to make her way over, reaching to her pocket for her Samuraizer, but Dekker's eye caught hers, and his grip tightened on the bedroll he was carrying. Mia paused as she caught the subtle warning...Urumasa. He had his sword to hand. She had no idea why he was here, or what he had to talk about with Bulk and Spike, but she knew that there were people around. A battle here would only risk people being hurt, or worse. She pulled her hands out of her pockets, keeping them where Dekker could see them, and made her way over.

"You've never...?" Spike began, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Come on Uncle Bulk, we definitely need to show this guy what he's been missing."

With that, Spike and Bulk disappeared into the bakery. Mia came over, stopping a little way from Dekker.

"What are you doing here Dekker?" She asked him. He just smirked at her.

"Your friends here were practicing with swords in the park." He informed her. "They looked like they wanted to learn, so I thought I would teach them."

"My friends?" She asked him. She cast a little glance into the bakery, where Bulk was at the counter, making his selections. She could see the end of a Shinai poking out the end of his bag and realised that he meant them. "They're not my friends. I've never even..."

"Do not lie to me Pink Ranger. I have seen the pictures myself Pink Ranger." He told her. "I have to admit though. I would have thought your tastes would have been for someone a little older."

"I'm sorry?" She asked him. He gave her a smirk.

"The boy has a lot of heart, but he is just a boy." Dekker clarified as he jerked his head inside. The penny dropped for Mia, and she realised what he meant. The Facebook page! Somehow Dekker had seen it and believed that the imaginary romance Spike had concocted in his mind and put on the internet for the world to see was real. He thought that Spike was connected to her. The poor kid had no idea that he had put himself in danger.

"I saw the pictures on a device carried by another child." Dekker cut her off. "I know it to be true."

Mia remembered the last time Dekker had faced Jayden, he had said he hadn't faced a worthy opponent _in centuries_. Mentor Ji had told them that The Cursed Warrior was immortal, and that the pages of history had been written in the blood spilled by Urumasa. He didn't understand the idea of the internet, much less the concept of photoshop. He didn't realise that the pictures were fake. She took a step forward, at which Dekker's hand strayed to the roll, causing her to stop.

"If you touch him..."

"I am actually fond of the two of them." He assured her. "They may be somewhat misguided and bumbling, but they are harmless enough. I think I may just keep teaching them."

Mia lunged forward, grabbing Dekker roughly and shoving him against the wall. He just laughed at her display, tapping the sword to remind her of the futility of her actions. Alone, she had no chance against him. He would cut her down, and probably end up taking a good portion of the street with him.

"Nothing will befall them." He told her. "How long that is the case remains up to you."

"Let me guess, you want Jayden." She asked.

"You catch on quickly." He replied sarcastically. "I will be taking them for more lessons tomorrow. Tell him to meet me where we last fought tomorrow at midnight. If he does not, their future lessons may not be so harmless."

Mia looked inside the shop, seeing that Spike and Bulk were just finishing with their purchases. She quickly sized up her options, realising that there was only one way for everyone to walk away unharmed. She just looked back to Dekker.

"You won't harm them?" She asked him.

"You have my word." He assured her. Mia just sighed in defeat.

"Then I'll give him your message." She said in a defeated tone, before walking away. As she disappeared around the corner, heading back towards the Shiba House, she suddenly found herself feeling an incredible weight of guilt starting to crush her. She never asked for the responsibility of being a Ranger, and she sure as hell didn't ask for the responsibility of being a role-model. She sure as hell never asked for a teenager to declare his undying love and proclaim himself her boyfriend to the world on-line. Now, as a result of his adulation of her, Spike had inadvertently put himself and his uncle in mortal danger.

She knew she wasn't responsible for the actions of others; they made their own decisions after all. However, she couldn't help feeling guilty that he was now in danger from one of her enemies. It was exactly the reason Mentor Ji had ordered them to sever all contact with their friends and family to prevent their enemies making the connection and hurting them through those they cared about. It didn't matter that she didn't even know the kid, although in some ways given how much he had laid himself out in his blogs, she was beginning to think she did, Dekker believed that she did, and as such as far as he was concerned, they were legitimate targets.

Back at the Shiba House, Emily and Mike were sitting on the couch, enjoying some ice-cream from the local parlour as her reward for completing her English Essay, while Jayden and Kevin played a board game in the corner with their Folding Zords. Mentor Ji came into the room, carrying a package.

"Mike, I just signed for a package for you." He told him, coming over. He handed it to Mike. "You know you're not meant to..."

"It isn't from anyone in my family." Mike assured him. "Trust me, after meeting my buds in the arcade, I learned my lesson about that."

"Then what is it?" Emily asked him curiously. "Is it another videogame?"

"Like he needs more of those." Kevin chuckled. "His cupboard has more games than clothes. It looks like an arcade in there!"

"It's not a game." He told them, getting up from the couch and heading to the kitchen. Emily put down her ice-cream and followed him, bounding in after him as he took a knife from the drawer and started to cut the tape.

"So what is it?" She asked him.

"It's private." He told her.

"Oooh...a surprise." She commented. "Is it for me?"

"If it was for you, don't you think I'd tell you?" He asked her.

"Come on, why don't you want me to see?" She asked him, beginning to look around, trying to get a peek into the box.

"Emily, it's not..."

"It is, it's a present for me isn't it?" She yelled excitedly, trying to reach around him. He turned around, grabbing her and looking into her eyes, smiling.

"Look, I promise that if it's something to do with you, then you'll be the first to know." He told her. "OK?"

"OK." She replied, beginning to move towards him. As they were about to kiss though, she quickly switched around him, grabbing the box. She ran off with it into her room, followed closely by Mike. She threw herself onto her bed, at which Mike burst in.

"Emily!" He called out as he leapt onto the bed, beginning to wrestle playfully with her. Emily started laughing as they struggled for it.

"Come on Mike, couples aren't meant to have secrets." She stated.

"Emily, give...it...back!" At that, the box ripped open and packaging sprayed around the room and the contents fell out. Emily stopped laughing as she pulled herself up, seeing that it was a Yellow Samurai Ranger plushie from the website she had shown Mike. She picked it up and looked at Mike.

"Mike?" She asked him. "You bought one of these?"

"When you told me about the one you bought, about having a Green Ranger to cuddle up to at night...I thought it sounded nice." He told her, stroking his neck awkwardly, looking away a little bashfully.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked him.

"You know how we feel about each other." He told her. "I remember that talk we had about...you know..._those_ dreams, and..."

He stumbled over his words as he tried to find the way to explain it to Emily.

"I guess since we are getting close, and I'm already feeling pretty vulnerable...I wasn't really keen on the idea of the others finding out." He told her. She was slightly confused by what he had said. "I guess there's a part of me that's worried Jayden and Kevin would make fun of me if they found out I was cuddling a doll at night."

Emily knelt up on the bed, grabbing Mike's top and pulling him towards her, looking deeply into his eyes.

"You're unbelievable do you know that?" She asked him, pulling him in and kissing him deeply. "What we have, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I think it's sweet that you want to have me with you, even if it is made of wool."

"Personally, I think the real thing is cuter." He assured her, putting it away inside his jacket. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply. They were lost in each other for a moment, until they heard a little cough coming from behind them. They turned, seeing Mentor Ji in the doorway.

"We need you both in the Living Room." He told them. "Mia has returned with some troubling news."

Emily and Mike just looked at each other, realising what it looked like. They were in Emily's room, in her bed no less. It was something of an embarrassing and awkward situation. They were sure it was a subject that was bound to come up later, but by the sound of things, there was something more important that Mentor Ji wanted to talk about.

"Alright, we're coming." Mike replied, straightening out his shirt as he got up, leaving the room as quickly as dignity allowed, making a quick detour to his room to dispose of the plushie. Emily just looked at Mentor Ji a little nervously.

"We were just...um..."

"Living room." He interrupted her sharply. "Now."

Emily just straightened out her hair and made her way through, just knowing that this was by far the last she would be hearing on this matter.


	4. The Spike Situation

The Rangers all assembled in the main room of the Shiba House, having been summoned by Mentor Ji for an urgent meeting. These were seldom good, whenever he had to impart information urgently like this, often it was because some new threat had arisen.

Emily arrived in the room, casting a quick glance in Mike's direction. Both of them knew the compromising position they had been found in only a few minutes previously by Mentor Ji, and were confident that pretty soon he would have pretty direct words for both of them about it.

Kevin was sitting with his arm around Mia, who seemed to be a little highly strung. The look on her face indicated she was deeply worried about something. Jayden was just standing in the corner. As Mentor Ji arrived, Jayden nodded to confirm that the meeting was beginning.

"We have a difficult situation to face." Mentor Ji told them. "As you know, you are all forbidden from contacting your friends and family because it may put them in danger. However, a situation I had not considered has arisen."

Jayden touched the tabletop, at which it called up Spike's Facebook page, showing an image of him in the Pink Ranger's arms. They all stared at it, a little confused.

"A couple of days ago, we became aware of the fact that a fansite dedicated to Mia was posted on the internet." Jayden began with the briefing. "However, there has been a troubling development."

"He lives here in the city." Mia told them, scrolling to the one picture of her with Spike that hadn't been photoshopped. It was the one of her holding him during a battle, protecting him against Moogers. Obviously he had acquired footage from somewhere, most likely one of the tourist website cameras. Despite the danger, being the 'Home of the Rangers' had provided a considerable kick to the tourist trade. "Somehow Dekker saw one of the images and thinks they're real. He thinks Spike is somehow connected to us."

"Spike?" Mike interjected. "Well at least now loverboy has a name."

Mentor Ji gave him a warning glare. Mike shrunk down a little on his chair at the display. Jayden pulled up a file. Mentor Ji had many means at his disposal, and had tracked down a file on the young man through various less than constitutional means.

"His name is Spike Skullovich." Jayden told them, bringing up the file. "His mom and dad live in Angel Grove, but they're currently out of the country. At present, he resides with one Farquas Bulkmeyer. Right here in the city."

"He apparently has formed an...attachment...to Mia." Mentor Ji explained as diplomatically as he could. "The Cursed Warrior is many centuries old, and so is unaware of the fact the pictures are not real. He believes that Spike..."

"He thinks he's her cuddle monkey?" Mike said with a little grin. Emily nudged him before leaning in and whispering in his ear, reminding him she knew what he was going to be cuddling up to at night. "I'll shut up now."

"Dekker's found Spike and his uncle." Mia told them. "I found them together. He wanted me to deliver a message to Jayden."

"Let me guess, he wants to fight me?" Jayden asked her. She shook her head.

"It's more than that." She told him. "He named a time and place. He wants you to meet him at the cliffs at midnight tomorrow. If you don't, he said he'll..."

Her words tailed off, and Kevin just held her for comfort. It was hard enough knowing that they were in danger, but it was quite another knowing that a kid with no connection to them was in danger because he was deluded enough to form a crush on the girl in Pink Spandex.

"So what do we do?" Mike asked. "I mean...we can't just give in surely?"

"I don't think we have any other choice." Jayden replied.

"I think I have an idea." Emily chipped in. They all looked to the youngest Ranger, a little surprised. She just got up and ran off. The others all looked at each other curiously, before following her.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Bulk and Spike arrived at their clubhouse together with Dekker and their stash from the bakery. Dekker was far too busy with his bag of donut holes to realise he had followed them all the way to their home.

He had never tasted anything like it. Being immortal, strictly speaking he didn't need to eat to survive, and when he did, it was normally whatever he could forage. Berries, fruit, leaves, vegetables and the like were easy to come by if one knew where to look. The rivers were always full of fish, and the woods surrounding the city were just teeming with livestock to hunt. He simply ate much as he used to in his human days, but this was entirely different. The sweet pastry simply melted in the mouth, and the explosion of sugar was unlike anything he was used to. Some of them had even been filled with custard or jam, meaning that each time he ate one; he was never entirely certain what the sensation would be like.

"Well, here it is, home sweet home." Bulk declared proudly as he panned his arm around the room. Dekker looked up and looked around the storage unit Bulk had converted into their club house/dojo. "What do you think?"

Dekker didn't answer as he strode inside, taking a look around. The place was filled with junk, the shelves all around full of toys, tools, painting and decorating supplies, sporting goods and all manner of other things. However, the floor had been cleared, and thin training mats put down. In the corner, there were some weights, and in another, there was a target shaped like a human. Finally, in the last, there was an easy chair, somewhere for them to take a rest after training.

"It's not much, but Uncle Bulk says it has everything we need." Spike chipped in, seeing the vacant look in his face as he wandered around, observing their equipment. "He says...a Samurai should remove himself from distractions and surround himself with all that he needs."

"Yes." Dekker answered as he became lost in thought. "It's just...it reminds me a little of somewhere I trained once."

Despite the clutter, and the ramshackle appearance, some of it was indeed familiar. His mind drifted back hundreds of years to his youth, back before he took up the curse of immortality to when he was training with his brothers under his father.

He went to the target and inspected it, running his hands across its surface. It was similar to something his family had used, but whereas the one he had used was made of wood, this was a modern device, made of moulded plastic, with lights at various points in it. He put down his bedding roll and looked to Bulk.

"Do you mind?" He asked.

"Be my guest." Bulk told him. As he stood in a stance, preparing, Spike ran over to the dummy.

"Wait; let me turn it on first." He told him. Dekker looked confused. After a moment, a light came on in its right eye socket. Dekker just looked to them both curiously.

"Have you never used one of these?" Bulk asked him. Dekker shook his head.

"Not like this." He responded. "Mine was a simple wooden mannequin."

"Well the lights come on, and you hit where it lights up." Bulk explained, coming over to demonstrate. A sequence of three lights came on, and Bulk tracked them, hitting them in turn. Dekker smiled.

"It's to train you to use combinations." Dekker surmised.

"Yeah, that's right." Spike chimed in. "It's like my favourite game, Whack-a-mole!"

"Here, give it a try." Bulk told him. "I'll just reset it."

As Dekker squared up to the mannequin, and the first lights came on, he lashed out with strikes, using the techniques he had mastered over many lifetimes. He became lost in the exercise, and his mind drifted back.

The family dojo was a very Spartan affair, devoid of any form of distractions. There were targets, weapons racks and mats, and nothing else. A few pictures on the walls of all the legendary members of the family adorned the walls, there as a reminder of what they were there to train towards.

Dekker was in there with his father, being made to work on the mannequin while his brothers were outside in the sunshine working on their sword technique. His father was strict with all his sons, driving them with a will bordering on sadism, driving them towards the family legacy as warriors.

His arms and legs ached as he hammered into the wood at full speed. His father insisted that they train at full strength, no matter how much it hurt. His arms, hands and shins were callused, and his limbs felt like lead as he drove himself onward in his third or possibly fourth straight hour on the exercise.

"Faster!" His father yelled at him. "Harder!"

Dekker tried to comply with the order, but every muscle in his body was exhausted, and the pain in his limbs was so intense, his body was screaming at him to stop. Slamming a leg into the side of the mannequin's ribcage, he let out a scream and fell to the ground, clutching his shin. He rolled around on the floor in pain, and blood was starting to run down the inside of his trousers from a split in his shin.

"Get up boy!" His father barked at him. "Get up!"

"I can't!" Dekker pleaded with him. "My leg!"

"I said, get up!" His father reiterated, grabbing his son and forcing him to his feet. "Do you think an enemy will allow you the luxury of feeling sorry for yourself? Continue!"

"But father..."

His father took him down hard with a throw, driving a knee into his ribs. He looked at his son in disgust.

"You are a disgrace; I waste my time with you!" He spat judgementally. "You will never amount to anything!"

As he watched his father leave to go in search of his older brothers, the ones he did have hopes for, he dragged himself back to his feet. He would prove himself to his father, no matter what it took. He confronted the mannequin once more, and continued until his hands and arms bled.

His thoughts were snapped back to the present by a loud bleeping sound as the mannequin flashed all the lights, ending the exercise. He had defeated it on its highest difficulty. He turned, seeing Spike and Bulk staring at him with their mouths hanging open in shock.

"Thank you for the food." Dekker told them, picking up his bedroll. "I shall meet you in the park for more training tomorrow at midday."

Both of them just nodded wordlessly as he left. Bulk turned to Spike with his eyes wide open.

"Spike..."

"That guy's..."

"Amazing!" Bulk concluded. "If we can even get him to give us another couple of lessons..."

"We'll be Samurai for sure!" Spike shrieked.

"Get some rest Spike." Bulk stated, handing him his bedding. "We've got a big day tomorrow!"

Back at the Shiba House, Emily was just putting the finishing touches on her plan, packing a bag for Jayden. She handed it to him, and he just looked at it, then back to her.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked her.

"Can you think of a better way to keep those two safe?"

"Well, it is an idea." Mia said with a shrug. "I'm not too sure Dekker's going to go for it..."

"Don't you think it's at least worth trying this BEFORE we resort to letting him and Jayden beating the shit out of each other?" Emily asked her. "We all know how important Jayden is. Don't you think it's worth trying to delay the inevitable?"

"Sometimes the greatest victory is not won by sword or fist, but by the mind." Mentor Ji said with an impressed look on his face. "It is a creative thought Emily, we're all proud of you."

"Thanks." She replied, finding herself barely able to look at him, considering the embarrassing situation from earlier.

"Anyway, it is getting late, and we have much to do tomorrow." Mentor Ji told them. "You should all go and get some rest."

The Rangers were about to leave, but as they did, Mike and Emily's relief was short-lived. Mentor Ji stopped them, and gestured to the Living room.

"I think we should talk." He told them. They both looked at each other, before moving through and taking a seat. They both knew that what had happened earlier hadn't amounted to anything, but that didn't mean that's what it looked like. Mentor Ji came over in front of them and sat down.

"If this is about earlier..."

"You will have your chance to speak Mike." Mentor Ji cut him off as he took a deep breath, trying to find how to begin. As much as he didn't want to admit it, this was as awkward for him as it was for them. The Rangers' families had entrusted him with their care, and that meant he was responsible for them. He had made a number of promises to them when he took in the Rangers in order to set their minds at rest. "I think we all know that this is a situation that is a little sensitive."

"Mentor, nothing happened." Emily told him. "We were just messing around."

"I believe that, but I still believe that this is something we need to discuss." He told them. "I know the two of you have been getting close for some time now."

"Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?" Mike asked him.

"You have both managed to balance your relationship with your training and your studies. It is for this reason I have kept my distance." He told them. "You are both able to make your own choices, and I respect that. I have no right to make decisions for you. I merely wish to...advise you...and hope you make mature and informed choices."

"Mentor, with all due respect, if this is 'the talk', then I heard it quite some time ago." Mike assured him.

"I have too." Emily added, becoming a little embarrassed. "Can we go now?"

"You both know the mechanics, and that is a good thing." He told them as he tried to approach the subject. "But you are both young, and inexperienced in the ways of these matters. You don't appreciate yet how powerful these urges can be."

"Mentor, we both..."

"I saw what was happening in your bedroom Emily." He told her. "I have every confidence that what you say is true and that it started out innocently, but many such incidents begin the same way."

He held up a hand as Mike was about to interrupt.

"At your stage of life, the urges can overwhelm the will and rational thought. I know this first hand." He told them as he thought back. He looked to Emily. "I was around your age when I found that out first hand."

"Is this a story we're going to want to hear?" Mike asked him. Mentor Ji conceded that perhaps his story would only make them uncomfortable unnecessarily.

"You both know what you have to face. You know the responsibilities you have, and as long as you keep those in mind, then this will not be an issue." He explained. "I cannot stop you doing what you will; I can only ask that you respect yourselves and each other, and that you are careful."

He stood up, looking to them both seriously.

"I promised your parents I would take care of you." He reiterated. "I trust you both, but I was young once too. I simply ask that you take care and do not prove that trust to be misplaced."

With that, he allowed them to go their separate ways to their rooms to sleep. They all had a big day ahead of them, and he wanted them to be ready. He had done all he could for Emily and Mike, he had reminded them that there were consequences for their actions, and that they had responsibilities to fulfil. Now, all he could do was trust in their judgement.


	5. Emily's Plan

Dekker was waiting in the park, sitting meditating as he awaited his "students". He was sure that by now, the Pink Ranger would have taken his message to The Red Ranger. It was only a matter of time now, before his sword Urumasa would find its hunger satisfied. Soon, the most epic duel in history would take place.

As he prepared himself mentally for what was to come, he couldn't help thinking about how Bulk and Spike had caused something in him to stir. They were hopeless specimens, their enthusiasm far exceeding their abilities, but he had to admit that few had the capacity for what could be described at best as devotion, and at worst as self-delusion as they could.

Somewhere in the past, long before he had ever taken up Urumasa, Dekker was training with his brothers. He was the youngest of five, the runt of the litter. He had spent the entirety of his life being punished and battered brutally in the training that was intended to shape him as what his father wanted him to be. On this day, three of his brothers were on the training mat, wielding bokken along with him. His eldest brother, the bearer of the family title, Yarrick, was standing with their father to watch what was to come.

Yarrick was just as tall as Dekker, and handsome, with pale flesh and long, dark hair that he always let flow loosely, spilling as low as his waist. His violet robes were intricately patterned with golden thread, and he stood, resting on the hilt of a bokken as he cast a judgemental gaze over his brothers. He was as cold and spiteful as his father, being forged by his training to take up the family honour, but unlike his brothers, he was trained not only to fight, but also to behave as was expected of a noble.

He was arrogant and condescending. Since the day he was born, the servants all did Yarrick's whim on a word, no matter how trivial. He would think nothing of the needs of others, barking orders to even his own brothers like they were animals to be commanded. None of them had been raised with any false pretence, Yarrick was the first born, and as such the heir to the family title. All the others were to be his vassals, his guard. Growing up, Yarrick had been as dismissive of Dekker as his father, but he was a lot more spiteful. Many were the times he took him on for no other reason than to show him up, and beat him to show his superiority. For many years, he beat him just because his skill was superior, but later on, as the fights became more evenly matched, the brothers were warned that he was not to be seriously injured. No one cared if one of the vassals ended up with a broken limb, but Yarrick was far too important to risk.

"Begin!" His father snapped. The four brothers started circling, jostling for position and looking for a hole in each others' guard. They were to fight each other, once again being pitted against one another for their fathers' approval.

Dekker blocked the first strike, manoeuvring with lightning reflexes. Over the years, the beatings had forged him into a formidable opponent in his own right. The four brothers all descended on each other in a flurry of activity, simulating a full-blown battle as opposed to a simple one-on-one duel.

Dekker finally found an opening to remove one of his brothers from the battle, his bokken catching him across the back of the head as he lunged for one of the others. His body fell to the floor, and he dropped the sword as his hands clasped on the back of his head.

The remaining three spun away from each other, getting room as they looked between themselves. Dekker noticed their heavy breathing and got a little ghost of a smile. His conditioning was obviously superior, and they were starting to become fatigued in the noon sun. He saw a little glance between the two and recognised it. Ever since he had started to show a gift for swordsmanship, his brothers knew he was a threat to their position in their fathers' eyes. He was able to show them up. Dekker had seen moments like this before, and knew what was coming. Both brothers rounded on him, presenting a guard.

As they rushed for him, he leapt over their swords, rolling on the mat back to his feet, snatching up his fallen brothers' sword as he went. When they came upon him again, he fended them off both at once, his wooden blades darting this way and that. Yarrick and his father watched on as he managed to score a couple of telling blows to one of them, taking him out of the fight, before rounding on the last of them.

The remaining exchange was short and to the point. Dekker had learned much as the recipient of his constant beatings. His brother could not throw one thing that he hadn't seen a thousand times. Before long, the sword was whipped from his brother's hand, and Dekker held the point of one of the bokken to his throat. They both looked to their father.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked. "Finish him!"

Dekker looked to his brother, seeing a pleading look in his eyes. By now, it had no effect on him. He had given his brothers that look many times and ended up in the infirmary nonetheless. He smashed him in the side of the head, knocking him unconscious, before turning to his father and bowing.

Yarrick looked to his father and nodded, before launching himself onto the mat, flipping over Dekker. Caught off guard, Yarrick smashed one of his swords from his hand before sending him staggering with a flurry of attacks.

Dekker held his own as much as he could, but his exhaustion was becoming a factor. Before long, his leg buckled under him as Yarrick struck it, before kicking his remaining sword away. He elbowed him to the floor, before holding the point of the bokken to his throat on the floor.

"You never fail to fail do you brother?" Yarrick taunted him.

"Perhaps if you were to face me one-on-one without me having to face the others first, things would be different." Dekker replied. Yarrick looked like he had swallowed a lemon as he heard his words and let out a yell, kicking Dekker hard in the face.

"Yarrick, that is enough!" His father yelled. Yarrick bowed to his father, before backing off. His father came over to Dekker, and looked to him with disdain.

"Your enemies will never fight fair. You cannot whine simply because the odds are stacked against you." He told him.

"Perhaps you will be fortunate brother." Yarrick taunted him. "Perhaps you will meet your Cursed Warrior and die in a fair fight. Then you will not spend the afterlife filling our ears with complaints."

As they walked away, his brothers being helped to the infirmary by the servants, Dekker refused the help, making his way to the infirmary by himself. In time, no one would question his strength.

He was roused from his meditation by a hand on his shoulder. He reacted with lightning reflexes, throwing Bulk over his shoulder and hooking him into a choke. Spike came around in front of him.

"Dude, that was awesome!" He shrieked. Realising that they had arrived, Dekker released Bulk and got up.

"I am sorry." He said, helping Bulk up.

"Don't be, I was uh...teaching Spike here a lesson." Bulk stammered out his excuse. "You have to be prepared for the unexpected. You see, our friend..."

Bulk got a confused look on his face and turned to him.

"Sorry, this is embarrassing, I just realised we haven't asked your name." He continued.

"Call me Dekker." He answered.

"Dekker was prepared for an attack, even when he was meditating." Bulk concluded, patting Dekker on the shoulder. "Thanks for the help."

Dekker suppressed a small laugh. This man truly was an idiot, but he amused him. It was like he actually believed he had any idea of what it took to be a warrior.

"Are those your training bags?" Dekker asked.

"Yeah." Spike told him. "So what's first?"

"First, we go to a little spot I found where we'll have more privacy." Dekker told him, picking one up and throwing its weight over his shoulder. "It's only a couple of miles..."

"Whoa, a couple of miles?" Bulk asked him. "Do you have any idea how much these weigh?"

"When I was training, my father used to make me run for five miles carrying two gallon water pales." Dekker told them. "If I did not get back in time, or if I spilled too much water, he would whip me. Consider this easy training."

"Dude...that's pretty messed up." Spike stated.

"Daddy issues much?" Bulk commented.

"You have no idea." Dekker replied. "If you want to train, follow me."

With that, he started to run off. Bulk and Spike picked up the remaining bags and followed as quickly as they could.

Night had fallen over the city, and it was now approaching midnight. Kevin stopped the truck on a road about half a mile from where Jayden was meant to meet Dekker. As he pulled on the parking brake, he breathed a sigh.

"Are you sure about this?" Kevin asked.

"We have to try." Jayden replied. "If we don't, Dekker will kill those two innocents."

"But this all seems so messed up." Kevin reiterated as his hand strayed to his pocket. "Are you sure I shouldn't...?"

"If any of you arrive, he could execute them anyway." Jayden replied. He just patted the bag on his lap. "We just have to hope this works."

"Rather you than me." Kevin muttered as Jayden got out and ran off into the brush. Kevin closed the door and started to drive home.

Dekker was pacing impatiently by a campfire on the edge of the cliff as midnight approached. His destiny was so close, he could almost taste it. He knew that The Red Ranger would never allow innocent blood to be spilled in his stead. He heard a rustling in the undergrowth and spun around, throwing back his cloak, and grabbed the hilt of Urumasa. Jayden came out of the bushes, unmorphed, and unarmed, holding his hands up where Dekker could see them.

"Alright, I'm here Dekker." He told him. "Where are they?"

"They're safe." He replied. "For now. Prepare to..."

"I'm not preparing to do anything, I came unarmed." Jayden interrupted him much to Dekker's shock. "I'm not carrying a sword, I'm not carrying my Samuraizer...hell, I'm not even carrying a penknife."

"You came here unarmed?" Dekker asked him. "Why?"

"Because I know you want me at my best." Jayden replied. "I know you want your epic duel. Well, that's not going to happen. If you want me, you'll have to take me as is, but somehow I doubt that will satisfy you."

He could feel Urumasa's hunger growling in rage. The Red Ranger was here, the duel he had been searching for all this time was right in front of him and now he was being denied. Dekker's face twisted into a snarl.

"You lie!" He roared, pulling out his sword. "Defend yourself!"

Jayden just folded his arms and stood, defiantly refusing.

"I'm not fighting you." He replied. "Kill me if you must."

Dekker just looked at him in disgust.

"Then I'll kill your friends..."

"Wait!" Jayden replied. "I just want you to know a little something about my friends first."

"I don't care." Dekker responded. "All I care about is my destiny!"

"You've waited centuries." Jayden reminded him. "We'll duel one day, I'm sure of that, but it won't be today. You've waited this long already, what could a few more days hurt?"

Dekker looked to him curiously.

"What do you wish to show me?" He asked. Jayden opened the bag and pulled out a laptop computer.

"Sit down." He told him, booting it up. Dekker did so, keeping Urumasa close in case this was a trick. Jayden called up Spike's Facebook page.

"This is the picture you've seen right?" Jayden asked him. Dekker just nodded.

"Well, do you recognise this?" He asked. He pulled up an image, showing Dekker at the building site while he and Kevin fought. One of Mentor Ji's agents had provided footage for them to use. Dekker looked confused.

"That's me." He replied. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Do you remember this?" Jayden asked, calling up another image. It showed Dekker standing on a tropical island, with all the Rangers arranged around him. They were holding parasols instead of swords.

"This picture is...?"

"It's a fake." Jayden told him, putting it side-by side with the one of Dekker at the building site. "Do you notice anything?"

"It is the same." Dekker concluded. "Only...different."

"Pictures can lie." Jayden assured him. "It is possible to take pieces of pictures and put them together in order to make it appear like something else is going on."

He closed the laptop and looked to Dekker.

"You were fooled by a fifteen year old boy's adolescent fantasy." Jayden told him. "He's never met the Pink Ranger, much less is he in love with her."

"But..."

"Did you never find it odd that not ONE of the pictures showed Mia out of her Ranger suit?" Jayden asked him. Dekker couldn't answer, it was a valid point. "He constructed those pictures out of others."

"Then he isn't...?"

"He's nobody." Jayden told him. He got up, and held his arms outstretched. "Search me if you want. If you find a weapon, feel free to duel me."

Dekker quickly checked him, finding to his disgust that Jayden was telling the truth. He had indeed come without any form of weapon. He just flicked a thumb over his shoulder.

"They are in a cave about three hundred yards that way." Dekker told him. "I used herbs to render them unconscious. They will recover in a couple of hours."

He picked up Urumasa and started to walk away, pausing at the edge of the tree line.

"This changes nothing Red Ranger." He warned him. "We are destined to duel."

"I didn't doubt it." Jayden sighed as Dekker walked away. He pulled out his cell phone. "I know where they are, they are unharmed."

Around an hour later, Spike came around in the clubhouse, finding The Pink Ranger sitting in the easy chair opposite him. He gave her a lovesick grin.

"Pink Ranger..."

"Spike, we really need to talk." Mia cut him off. The romantic music in his mind suddenly stopped and Spike looked a little stunned by her tone. She had never spoken to him that way. He looked aside, seeing his Uncle Bulk still lying unconscious. "Your uncle will be fine, he's just...resting."

"What's going on?" Spike asked her, rubbing some fresh bruises. "The last thing I remember was that Dekker guy..."

"He's a Nighlock." Mia interrupted him. It took a second for it to register, but Spike remembered something that happened. Shortly after he and his uncle drank the tea Dekker had given them, he had seen him turn into a monster. He looked up to her.

"He..."

"He thought your web page was real and he tried to draw us out because he thought we were an item." She told him. Spike just looked a little dejected.

"Oh." He mumbled.

"Look kid, I saw the web page, and to be honest...it is kind of flattering." She told him, glad the helmet stopped him seeing her expression. It was still painfully bad, but at least now Dekker knew it was bogus; she could encourage him to take it down before anyone else tried to track them. "It's just...you put yourself and your uncle in danger, you realise that right?"

"But that day, when you saved me." He whispered. "You're so wonderful..."

"I'm flattered, really I am." She told him, sitting with him and putting an arm around him. "But the thing is, I'm older than you are."

"I'll grow!" He protested.

"That's not the only thing." She told him. "I have a boyfriend."

She found it odd to say that, she and Kevin had barely done anything. The odd kiss and cuddle, but she didn't suppose that had transcended completely into being considered a boyfriend/girlfriend thing. Still, she had to admit it felt good to call him that.

"It's one of the Rangers isn't it?" Spike asked her. "The Red Ranger?"

"The Blue actually." She replied, confident that revealing that wasn't going to reveal anything that would expose them. "He's a really great guy."

"Right." He sighed. "Sorry I..."

"Spike, wait." She beckoned him. "I saw your website. It was...okay, I'm being honest here...a little full-on."

"OK?" He asked.

"The love songs, the poetry, the pictures...it was kind of uncomfortable." She admitted.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I've never felt like this about anyone before." Spike told her. "Are you sure...?"

"Trust me, I'm flattered, but you'd be better served looking for someone your own age." She told him, rubbing his back gently. "From reading your website, I can tell you're a great kid, and you've got a good heart. You'll make some lucky girl very happy. It's just not going to be me."

"She hated to bring up the next part, but she knew she had to.

"Look, we had your back; you got lucky this time, but claiming you're a friend of ours isn't exactly the safest of things to do." She told him. "I'd recommend taking down the site."

"But...you're my favourite." He replied. "Since the Rangers showed up and Uncle Bulk and I started training...you all inspire me, you especially."

"Well, maybe don't be so heavy handed about it." Mia suggested. "There are thousands of fan sites out there. Believe it or not, I found one that has stories written about us by fans."

"Well, you are kind of the biggest thing on the planet right now." He reminded her.

"If we inspire you, that's great, but don't put yourself in danger by claiming to have a relationship you don't." She advised him. "Oh, and can I recommend one more thing?"

"What?" He asked her.

"If you do find a girl that you like? Don't write her poetry." She told him.

"Was it really that bad?" He asked her.

"Hey, I can't cook. Trust me; we all have talents that escape us." She told him. She picked up a cup and handed it to him. "I need to disappear now, and that requires..."

"This'll knock me out won't it?" He asked her. She just nodded. "Will I remember this?"

"Why would I want you to forget it?" She asked. "I just want you to be safe."

Spike just downed the cup and lay down on the floor. Mia waited a moment until she was sure the drug had taken effect before leaving.

Outside, she found Kevin waiting for her with the truck. De-morphing, she approached him, wrapping he arms around him.

"So did you let loverboy down gently?" He asked her. She just nodded.

"I hope he gets the message." She told him. "I'd hate for anyone to get hurt because of me."

"Well, I think I know something that can take your mind off it." He told her. "The local movie theatre's playing a romantic comedy double feature."

"That sounds perfect." She replied, pulling him into a long kiss. "Something tells me Mentor isn't going to miss us for a while."

Fin.


End file.
